Lange-Jeter collide Saturday

By Gary “Digital” Williams

Individually, the fan bases for DC-area boxers Jimmy Lange and Tony “Mo Better” Jeter are among the largest in the Beltway Boxing region. On Saturday, October 27 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA, the two fan bases will come together to cheer for their favorite boxers in what should be an exciting, offensive-minded, scheduled for 10-round battle.

This bout will be like a home game for Lange (38-4-2, 25 KOs) because this will be the 15th time that he has headlined a card at the Patriot Center. Lange’s record is 11-2-1, eight KOs at the Patriot Center. This will be the fourth appearance for Jeter (14-3-1, 10 KOs) at the Patriot Center and he is 2-0-1, with one knockout in Fairfax.

This contest was originally scheduled for June but Lange suffered an injury in training camp that caused the bout to be postponed. Lange has not fought since February 11 at the Patriot Center where he won a 12-round unanimous decision over Ruben Galvan in defense of the WBU (World Boxing Union) Junior Middleweight title. Jeter won the vacant WBC Fecarbox Middleweight title in his last outing, a fifth-round technical knockout win over Tyrel Brown on September 22 in Millersville, MD. Fans who like middleweight or super middleweight boxing will enjoy this card – seven of the nine bouts, including the main event will be in one of those two weight classes.

The co-feature matches undefeated Chantilly, VA middleweight Zain “Tiger” Shah against world-ranked title challenger Harry Joe Yorgey of Bridgeport, PA. Shah (5-0, three KOs, 1 NC) has not fought since his no-contest against Julius Kennedy at the Patriot Center on September 10, 2011. Originally, the bout ended in a second-round TKO for Shah, but the win was overturned after a review of the video by the Virginia Boxing Commission.

Yorgey (24-1-1, 11 KOs) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Lawrence Jones at the Patriot Center on February 12 of this year. Jones was a late replacement for Shah, who had to miss the bout because of the flu.

In a classic battle of youth versus experience, undefeated Alexandria, VA middleweight Brandon Quarles will face veteran John “No Mercy” Mackey of Montgomery, AL by way of Washington, DC in what should be a quality six-round encounter. Quarles (9-0, two KOs) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Ike Ezeji on April 28 in Wilson, NC. Quarles scored two knockdowns enroute to the win. Quarles also scored a six-round unanimous decision over Omar Sims on February 25 in Millersville, MD.

But Quarles will face his most experienced opponent in Mackey (13-8-3, six KOs) who has fought a number of quality opponents in and out of the Beltway region. In December of 2007, Mackey participated in the Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year, defeating Tony Cygan by six-round unanimous decision. Among the other Beltway foes Mackey has faced are Jessie Nicklow (an eight-round majority draw in June of 2009), Cecil McCalla (an eight-round majority decision loss in April of 2009) George Rivera (a fourth-round TKO victory in November of 2010) and two bouts against Joshua Snyder (a nationally-televised [ESPN] four-round majority decision loss in June of 2008 and a six-round draw in November of 2008). Mackey has also been in the ring against the likes of Tarvis Simms, James McGirt, Jr. and Derek Ennis.

In another six-round contest, Ivan “King Shango” Ziglar will battle Lawrence Jones in an all-DC middleweight bout. Ziglar (7-2-1, four KOs) is coming off a third-round TKO over Jimmy LeBlanc on July 14 in Washington, DC. Jones (4-6-2, one KO) has not fought since his loss to Yorgey.

In four-round bouts, Immanuwel Aleem of Richmond, VA (2-0, two KOs) will be in a super middleweight bout against “The Honorable” Mark Baltimore of DC (1-0, one KO). In a junior welterweight contest, Joseph “Raw Talent” Rector of Fairfax, VA (1-0, one KO) will face David Warren Huffman of Milwaukee, WI (1-8). Also, in an all-cruiserweight contest, Mario “Bazooka” Flores of Washington, DC (1-1, one KO) will battle Andre Ward (1-1-1, one KO).

The card will also feature two of the top amateur boxers in the country making their pro debuts. DC super middleweight “The King’s Son” Jerry Odom will face the equally-debuting Darryl Fields of Akron, OH. Odom capped his amateur career earlier in 2012 by winning the National Golden Gloves at 178 pounds. Odom was also awarded the Golden Boy Trophy as the Most Outstanding Boxer of the tournament.

Burke, VA super middleweight Antoine “Action” Douglas will also make his pro debut against Valdez Eason of Cincinnati, OH (0-6). Douglas had a solid amateur career that ended with his participation in the Men’s US Olympic Boxing Trials. With his involvement in the Olympic Trials, Douglas became a part of history. Douglas’s sister, Tyrieshia, competed in the first-ever Women’s US Olympic Trials making the Douglas siblings the first brother-sister act to compete at the US Olympic Boxing trials.